-Serious dramatic activity was limited -Favored only in the erudite court or noble theatre -Profesional improvised comedy -Started in Italy --- lasted from 16th to early 18th century--influenced drama all over Europe. -Also known as: -Soggeto: Since it was acted in a pre-arranged synopsis -All' improviso:since the actors made up some of their speeches. -Dei masukiere:since most characters wore masks -All' italiana-since it started in Italy -Actor worked from a plot outline but there was no set script -Commedia Dell' Arte had a tremendous impact on later actors and playwrights such as Moliere

-CAST

-10-12 famous troupes -Traveled all over Europe -7-8 men -3-4 women -Most Commedia shows included these characters: -Two sets of lovers -A servent girl -A captain -Two old men -Commedia characters were one dimensional stereotypes -All characters were "stack types" -Innamorate- young male lover -Had refined language -Beautifully dressed -Did not wear a masks -Innamorata- young female lover -Same as the Innamorate except she is a female -Fontesca-servent girl -Clever, high-spirited flirt -Did not wear a mask -Zanni- comic male servent -Good at ad-libbing -Good at acrobatics -Either a dullard (dunce) or a clever prankster -Wore a mask -Old man -Competes romantically with his own son -Deceived by his young wife -Is a overly protective father guarding his young daughters from suitors. -Wore a mask - Characters were unchanging and typical of each Commeia preformance

-COSTUMES

-Old man-dressed in a black coat with flowing sleeves, a red vest, and pantaloons/breeches -All other characters wore costumes of different Italian towns/provinces except "straight" parts(lovers), who wore contemporary dress

-Plots almost always involved comic intrigues in which fathers put obstacles in the way of their children's romances. -Servents were important characters (often involved in matchmaking.) -Comic stage business was called lazzi -Comic verbal jokes were called burla -Almost 800 scenerios exist in outline form today -It is virtually impossible to obtain the actual quality of commedia preformance since we have little information concerning it.